Our attack - what's off?

[dickie davies]

We need clever full backs, like Zabba, who know when to overlap and get round the back

And there was an attack in the game tonight where Sterling was dribbling across the edge of the penalty area and we had four or five players just watching
Not one moved

 

[Sergio<3]

Jesus, would rather have Salah Mane Kane Son Ings Calvert-Lewin Vardy Rashford Werner Abraham Aubamayang Lacatette than our non goal threatening "striker" Is he any better than Kelechi??

 

[Beanhead]

Good disciplined shape and you are halfway to getting a result against us. As we offer no width no variation to our attacks and with no natural width you are reliant on a traditional striker to operate in the middle. Without a natural striker no opponent has anything to worry about which means we have no runners and the rest of our players can’t get in behind. As good shape will repel our possession.

we have changed our approach play considerably these last 18 months hence the mixture of lofted and whipped in crosses.. the problem is we haven’t brought Haaland. In fact we have rarely played with a proper striker.. so baffling really.

And no I’m not being spoilt and saying we need to buy Haaland.. but if we don’t have that type of player.. don’t play that way and play to the strengths of our current squad which we used to do with a great deal of success until 18 months ago.

 

[Citycity76]

Just go all out and buy the kid from Dortmund. He will score plenty of goals in our side

 

[Blu1]

Midfield is our biggest issue like last year but we never change it!

drop foden or Kev more central & let them ping balls around to Torres & Jesus out wide with sterling central attacker backed up by either foden or Kev. Also use the bloody pace of walker as a wing back to overlap which we never seem to do anymore.

this would help & take pressure off the entire team in my opinion.

but we will go with gundy & Rodri, Kev in nomans land, foden just waiting to be subbed whilst sterling & Jesus just get in each others way centrally.

 

[Akira]

Jesus, would rather have Salah Mane Kane Son Ings Calvert-Lewin Vardy Rashford Werner Abraham Aubamayang Lacatette than our non goal threatening "striker" Is he any better than Kelechi??

Really? Aubameyang and Lacazette, really?

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

Midfield is our biggest issue like last year but we never change it!

drop foden or Kev more central & let them ping balls around to Torres & Jesus out wide with sterling central attacker backed up by either foden or Kev. Also use the bloody pace of walker as a wing back to overlap which we never seem to do anymore.

this would help & take pressure off the entire team in my opinion.

but we will go with gundy & Rodri, Kev in nomans land, foden just waiting to be subbed whilst sterling & Jesus just get in each others way centrally.

I think the engine room in midfield would sort our problems. Asking Kev to do all the creativity whilst he has two people behind him playing sideways triangles that don’t seem to progress into anything threatening.

Fernandinho is gone at the end of the season and I imagine the buy back clause for Douglas Louis will mean he will be back here for a modest fee. I’d get Grealish in if Villa would sell, can run, can create and put a tackle in a lot more than what we currently have.

 

[Akira]

Good disciplined shape and you are halfway to getting a result against us. As we offer no width no variation to our attacks and with no natural width you are reliant on a traditional striker to operate in the middle. Without a natural striker no opponent has anything to worry about which means we have no runners and the rest of our players can’t get in behind. As good shape will repel our possession.

we have changed our approach play considerably these last 18 months hence the mixture of lofted and whipped in crosses.. the problem is we haven’t brought Haaland. In fact we have rarely played with a proper striker.. so baffling really.

And no I’m not being spoilt and saying we need to buy Haaland.. but if we don’t have that type of player.. don’t play that way and play to the strengths of our current squad which we used to do with a great deal of success until 18 months ago.

This is the entire "we need to sign Dzeko/any tall striker" we've seen over and over again.

 

[City Raider]

Was really hopeful for Jesus but afraid start of this season has proved he’s a great squad player but not good enough to lead the line game after game.

 

[Marvin]

The playmaker is what's off. KDB.

It's now blindingly obvious. I don't play FIFA but if there was a FIFA engine rating he's at 80%, and you need to be able to hit the byline, or accelerate to make the one-twos, or get the shot away. He is way way below his past standards, and because of his position in the side, we struggle.

If you play Rodri as a sitting midfielder then you are in real trouble if your creative player is off his game. Look at the impact of Fernandes on Man Utd. Without him they are crippled. KDB has morphed into Toure in his end days.

I made this call weeks ago and got a lot of criticism for it but now you have to see it. I know its a damaging conclusion because he is crucial for City but Pep needs to take him out of the side for an extended period.

Go with Bernardo and press sides. Bernardo may not be on form but physically he has all the attributes to unlock sides. We have Foden, and we have Mahrez. Trust in the other players in the squad, but Pep has to make this call now or we'll drop off the pace.